From May 9-14, an estimated 100 Rwandans will attend the Nigerian-Rwandan Economic Summit in Lagos.The huge delegation that is going to the Summit reveals just how important the Nigerian market will become to Rwandan economic growth. With its population of 150 million, having a foothold in Nigeria is simply essential for Rwandan businesses.That is why RwandAir’s direct flights to Lagos and the opening of the Nigerian High Commission in Kigali are such important steps. Fostering direct trade ties with this huge market is a win-win situation. There are particular products that Nigerians need, such as fresh fruit and juice concentrates, that we can provide.With a food importation bill of about ten billion dollars, we cannot afford to not be a part of this bonanza. We mustn’t forget about other non-traditional markets such as Congo Brazzaville, Gabon and Dubai which can provide a market for our goods.Increasing our export receipts is something of national importance and exploiting these new markets is a crucial tool in lowering our negative balance of trade. Before we think of exporting our goods we need to clean up our house. Some of the goods that our factories produce are poorly manufactured and packaged. We cannot compete unless our goods are of international standard. And, certainly adding value to our produce should be a continuous process.The onus in on you, businesspeople, to produce a product that people want and crave. Needles to say, attracting Nigerian investors to Rwanda is critical for the country’s development.
